Man sentenced to 9 years for slashing cabbie's throat

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Fort Mill man will spend at least nine years in prison for the stabbing of a cab driver in Charlotte in 2012.
 
Brian Chandler pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. 
 
Police said he called a cab in September 2012 and asked to be driven to the SouthPark area.  Once there he told the driver to pull over because he was sick.  The driver said he then attacked him with a knife. 
 
"The first thing I asked him was 'Why are you trying to kill me?'" said cab driver Gary Hinson. "And he stabbed me in the face."
 
Police said Chandler went on to steal the cab and crash it.  During his sentencing hearing Friday, prosecutors said when Chandler was arrested they found handwritten notes in his pockets, including one that said, "Take cab, plus cellphone." 
 
Prosecutors said the note indicated he planned to steal a cab and rob the driver.  Police also found duct tape, a Taser and a fake bomb in the cab at the scene of the crash.
 
After pleading guilty, Chandler was sentenced to between nine and 12 years in prison. 
 
His victim isn't sure it's enough.
 
"It should have been longer," Hinson said. "He's too much of a danger to innocent people."

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